# Inexpensive Guests explained — Poetry

> Chapter companion for Poetry by Ring Lardner.

## What happens

The narrator humorously reflects on having three doll guests—Indian Chief, Funny Man, and Rollo—at every meal, noting that despite the extra company, the grocery bill hasn't increased because they don't actually eat.

## Themes in this chapter

### Humor and Satire

The poem uses playful exaggeration about hosting dolls as guests to satirize concerns over household expenses.

### Domestic Life

Centers on the domestic routine of meals and the grocery bill, with imaginary guests as part of family life.

## Character check-ins

### Unknown Narrator

The narrator hosts three doll guests at meals and observes the lack of impact on the grocery bill.

## Key lines

> I wonder how ’twould make you feel, My fellow food providers, To have as guests at ev’ry meal Three⁠—count ’em, three⁠—outsiders.

I ask other household providers how they would feel about having three extra guests at every meal.

_Opens the poem by addressing the reader directly about the unusual situation._

> These guests of ours, to make it brief, Can’t really chew or swallow; They’re merely dolls, called Indian Chief, And Funny Man, and Rollo.

The guests are just dolls named Indian Chief, Funny Man, and Rollo, who cannot actually eat.

_Reveals the twist that the guests are inanimate dolls, explaining why the grocery bill hasn't increased._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/poetry_19_se/chapters/inexpensive-guests
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/poetry_19_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/poetry_19_se/chapters